Sheet-metal construction.



M. LAGHMAN.

SHEET METAL CONSTRUCTION.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 6, 1913.

WITNESS 8 T A7: 7 1 BY INVENTOR 7/ max/nae lacgmhn COLUMBIA PMNOGRAPHC0,,WAsHlNu'roN, n. c.

UNITE i um MAURICE LAOHMAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SHEET-METAL CONSTRUCTION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented A11 19,1913.

Application filed May 6, 1913. Serial No. 765,777.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, MAURICE LACHMAN, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, in the countyof New York and State of New York, have invented cer tain new and usefulImprovements in Sheet Metal Construction, of which the following is aspecification.

My present invention relates to metallic constructions and particularlyto such struc tures wherein a metallic frame surrounds and is secured toa metallic panel.

The invention is particularly adapted for use in sheet metal doorconstruction and without in any manner limiting the invention it will bedescribed as applied to this use.

The object of the invention is to provide an integral construction bywelding the frame sections and the panel to each other and at the sametime to avoid the objections heretofore present when such sections arewelded to each other. In accordance with this object all mechanicaljoints are avoided and a smooth surface for an enamel finish isprovided.

Heretofore it has commonly been the practice in metallic doorconstructions to either rivet the frame sections to the panel or to joinsuch parts together by a folding operation both of which are expensiveand have constituted the real reason why metallic doors have in mostcases been prohibitive. It has also been attempted to weld the parts toeach other but owing to the marring or roughening of the surface of themetal which necessarily takes place as a condition subsequent to thewelding operation this method has heretofore been abandoned in favor ofthe more expensive riveting or folding of the parts as such marring orrough surface is readily discernible through the enamel which issubsequently applied as a finish. By practising this invention suchmarring or rough surface occasioned by the welding operation is entirelyconcealed so that a smooth even surface is presented on which to applythe enamel or other finish.

To these ends the invention consists in the improved constructionhereinafter more particularly described and then specified in theclaims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a sheetmetal door constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is atransverse section through the same taken on the line 2 2. Fig. 3 is anenlarged similar section through one side of the door in finished form.Fig. 4: is a similar section through a door in which but a single panelis employed. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 and showing the construction previous to folding over the weld concealing part.

1, 2 indicate the side stiles and 3, l indicate the top and bottomrespectively or end stiles of a door of any'desired form. The said stileor frame sections are formed of sheet metal in any suitable manner andsecured to each other along the abutting edges 5 by brazing, solderingor in any other manner as will be readily understood by persons skilledin the art.

6 indicates the panel and while in the present case but one panel isshown throughout the length and width of the door it will be understoodthat any number of panels that may be desired may be employed. The panel6 may be of double thickness as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, in which casethe two sheets of metal are spaced apart by blocks 7 or it may be ofsingle thickness as shown in Fig. 4. Also if desired the space betweenthe panels and within the stiles may be filled with sound-deadeningmaterial, all as well known in the art and forming no part of thisinvention. Also if desired the panel 6 may extend through the stilemembers and be provided with a lateral flange 8 adapted to bear againstthe ends of the stiles on the inner side thereof and such bearingsurface may be secured to each other to provide rigidity to the door.

The stile or frame members 1, 2, 3 and 4 are each provided with aninwardly projecting flange 9 which bears on the outer surface of thepanel 6. The flange 9 is preferably joined to the stile by a molding 10of any desired formation. The flange 9 is welded along the meetingsurface between it and the panel 6 preferably at a number of isolatedspots and preferably by employing the electric welding process now wellknown. This welding is accomplished, as will be readily understood bythose skilled in the art, by bringing electrodes into contact with theparts opposite each other and passing an electric current from one tothe other and applying pressure by means of the electrodes as the worksoftens between them to force the metal together. The electrodes incommon practice for this work are more or less pointed and therefore, asis also well known, mar or roughen the surface of the metal, as forinstance the flange 9, to a more or less extent thus preventing a smoothfinish being applied to the construction.

11 indicates an extension of the flange 9 preferably integral. therewithand which during the welding operation preferably is disposed laterallyto the flange, as shown in Fig.5, so as to be in position to be readilyfolded over said flange after the welding is completed. After the flange9 has been welded to the panel 6 the extension 11 is folded back uponthe flange 9 and preferably pressed into fiat contact therewith asindicated. in F i 2 3 and a, whereby any rough sinfface made bythewelding electrodes hidden beneath itand a smooth upper surface ispresented for the enamel or other finish that it desired to apply to thesurface of the door.

As is usual the moldings 10 and flanges 9 are initercd at the cornersand soldered or brazed together, although other ways of finishing thecorners may be employed without departing from the spirit of thisinvention hat I claim as my invention is z 1. The combination with sheetmetal frame sections, of a panel, inwardly projecting flanges on saidframe sections welded to said panel and extensions of said flanges bentover said flanges and concealing said welded portions.

2. The combination with sheet metal frame sections, of a panel, flangessecured to said frame sections and bearing on said panel and unitedthereto by a plurality of welds and integral extensions of said flangesbent back thereon and concealing said welds.

8. The combination with sheet metal frame sections, of a panel, inwardlyprojecting flanges emanating from said frame sections and integrallyunited with the surface of said panel by a plurality of spot welds andintegral extensions of said flanges bentback into flat contact therewithand concealing said welds.

t. In a metallic door construction, side and end stiles of sheet metal,a sheet metal panel and moldings joining said stile sections to saidpanel, said moldings being provided with a flange welded to said paneland extensions bent back on said flanges and adapted to conceal saidwelded portions.

Signed at New York in the county of New York and State of New York this5th day of May A. D. 1913.

MAURICE LACHMAN.

Witnesses F. B. TOWNSEND, K. M. MOMAI-ION.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

